Marie Jois vs A Thousand Suns
by imafuckingusername.dealwithit
Summary: Possible re-write in progress. Look, I'm going to be honest with you. They don't care. Well, some- very few- do, like me. But that's not going to change anything. We can't even say anything in case we end up like the rest. But you- and your crew- you could do it. We've all heard the stories. It would be easy... even with only four months to live.
1. Warning

Please don't bag on this… it's my first time putting anything out there for someone else to read, other than my teacher. :P

.oOo.

The sun beat down upon the newly scrubbed deck, making its wet panels gleam. On the poop deck, near her orange trees, a ginger-haired young woman sat on a lawn chair, wearing a bikini and shades, reading the daily newspaper. Across the small table, a dark haired woman was doing similar, deeply submerged in a book about archaeological studies of the Drum Islands. From below, the sound of the kitchen door opening, followed by the ever-devoted cheers of "Nami-swaaan! Robin-chwaaaan!", caught the two women's attention out of their studies. Their eyes rested upon a tall and lanky blond in a striped suit, bounding up the stairs with surprising balance and grace for both a man, and a man carrying fourteen different delicacies.

The dark-haired woman smiled politely, whilst the other remained stoic, but both took their iced beverages and appetizers with an air of appreciation. Nearby, a heavily-built, tanned man in a white, open-necked shirt sat with his back to the guard rails and three katana leaning against his shoulder. His green-haired head was bent in sleep. However, at the newest commotion, Zoro lifted his head up and opened one eye, half-way. Then he grunted and returned to his slumber after realising it was only Sanji, come for his daily grovel before Nami and Robin. Typical.

Just another typical day on the Sunny-Go.

Nami and Robin reading, the shitty cook cooking like a slave for them, Franky probably lost in fixing something somewhere deep within the hull of the ship, Brook playing his guitar out on deck, and Usopp, Chopper and—

Zoro opened his eyes once more, scanning the area for the inseparable trio. Sure enough, Chopper and Usopp were dancing to Brook's chart-topping wonder, 'New World', both of them with chopsticks stuck up their noses and in their mouths. But no sign of their captain, usually the leader of the troublesome group. Zoro stood up and checked the prow of the ship, where the head of the lion protruded and, usually, where the little brat would normally be snoring when he wasn't being loud and stupid with the other two idiots. It was bare. His brow creased with worry momentarily, before a thought occurred to him. Grinning, he turned to the blond who was now massaging Nami with the most perverted look plastering his features.

"Hey shitty-cook!"

Sanji looked over, clearly miffed that he had been interrupted from his perverted daydreams.

"What do you want Marimo"

Zoro snickered darkly, then said casually, "I wonder where our gracious captain has got to?"

The cook's eye's suddenly widened and then it clicked. His cigarette dropped out of his mouth as he screamed, "I'M GONNA KILL YOU LUFFY!"

He jumped over the railing, landed on the poop deck, then kicked the door of the kitchen open, prepared to grab Luffy by the back of the shirt and haul him overboard. But not before he made him repay every bit of food he stole- with interest. It would give him great satisfaction to know that the boy would probably have to be saved by the Marimo. But, as he walked into the kitchen, and then further, into the pantry and then through to the boy's cabin, he became more and more puzzled. And then he grew angry. Now he was going to kill the marimo.

He stalked out of the cabin and on to the poop deck, calling up to the shithead with barely concealed rage, "Thought that was funny didn't you, you stupid marimo? Tell me, was Luffy in on this too? He was wasn't he? I'll kill you both!"

Sanji launched himself onto the quarterdeck, ready to attack, and Zoro stood and unsheathed his swords, but Nami got there first. Both were on the ground in an instant, clutching their throbbing heads in pain. Robin laughed quietly behind her hand.

"Can you two stop it for one minute? Sanji, you're saying that he wasn't anywhere below deck?"

"Yes Nami-swan! The shitty brat wasn't anywhere."

Nami became worried. If he wasn't below deck, or above deck with Usopp and Chopper…

"So, where is he?" she didn't wait for an answer, calling out to the rest of the crew below, "Usopp, Chopper, Brook! Do you know where Luffy wandered off to?"

All three of them shrugged. Now everybody looked slightly panicked.

"Luffy! Where are you?"

"Luffy!"

"LUFFY!"

Then Chopper pointed. Skyward. Everybody looked toward the mast, where, at the top the observation deck could be seen. They could just make-out the silhouette of their captain against the windows of the observation deck. He was staring out to sea, clutching the hand railing like his life depended on it.

Sanji cocked his head to the side, studying his captain's uncharacteristic tension, "what's up with him?"

They followed their captain's line of sight, and surprisingly, they found themselves looking at a battered old marine ship sitting on the horizon, making its way steadily toward them. The entire crew save for Luffy, relaxed, and then became puzzled.

"So, it's just a marine ship" Zoro sat down and dozed.

"What is Luffy doing u there in the first place? He never does look out duty, even when its his turn"

"That ship is really battered, I wonder what happened?"

"They probably got caught up in that storm Navigator-san steered us away from a few hours ago" Robin noted

"You've got a point. But I have a more important one" Usopp commented with a worried expression.

"What is it?"

"It's a battered, barely floating marine ship, right?"

"Yeah, what's your point Usopp?"

"So why does Luffy look so terrified of it?", Usopp stared up at Luffy, who indeed, remained stock still in the observation room, looking out at the ship like it was the coming plague.

.oOo.


	2. Captain's Order

Luffy had been sleeping in the observation room, dreaming meaty thoughts, when it happened. At first it was just a small nudge against his unconscious mind, but soon it became more insistent and louder, until it was an incessant hammering against his skull. He sat up, initially thinking it was his brain telling him to feed his stomach, but it seemed to pull him in the wrong direction.

He followed the tugging that had now moved to the pit of his gut, not toward the exit and down to the galley, but toward the windows. Looking out, he saw, on the horizon, the black silhouette of a ship, battered beyond repair, and barely floating. As it got closer, he noticed that it was a marine ship. He didn't relax. This feeling; this… he didn't know what it was.

He gripped the hand rail as a wave of primal terror flooded through him. It was instinctive, uncontrollable. He felt ashamed. How was he, the captain of this ship, supposed to properly protect the people closest to him if he suddenly became terrified of one measly, ramshackle marine ship? The sounds of his nakama calling to him didn't reach him as he stared at the ship. Something was not right here. That ship. The urge to flee from it was insurmountable.

He had to talk to Chopper, maybe he was sick. Maybe he and Usopp had swapped personalities because of some mystery thing on the Grand Line? But that could wait. He had suddenly realised just how close the ship was to the Sunny, and, no matter what kind of disease he had suddenly contracted, he knew, _knew, _that he must use every ounce of his power to stop his nakama from stepping foot on that ship.

Finally breaking through his paralysis, he sprinted through the door, and jumped straight onto the poop deck below. The others were startled at the sudden appearance of their captain. Zoro woke once again from his sleep and looked over the railing at the ship passing by.

"Looks like a ghost ship" he said with a grin. Usopp and Chopper both reacted comically, clutching each other and screaming.

"Ahhh! Scary!"

Luffy remained silent. Only Zoro seemed to notice.

"Oi, Luffy! Didn't you say you wanted to see a ghost?" Zoro pointed out, eyes narrowing when Luffy flinched and then covered it quickly with a shrug.

Nami, surprisingly, was the most enthusiastic about it. "If it's a ghost ship, then there must be treasure in it! Or a treasure map, or—"

"No" Luffy said. Everyone finally turned to him. His eyes were hard. "No one's getting on that ship"

Nami's eyes narrowed dangerously, "why not?"

Again, Luffy remained silent. Nami stopped and walked over to him. They were face-to-face,

"Is there some reason you're demanding us to remain aboard the ship? Luffy? Do you want to take the treasure for yourself when no one's looking?"

The idea seemed to anger Luffy, but he reined it in. Quietly he replied, "No. that's not it"

"Then what is 'it', Luffy? What's so important that you, of all people, will forego an adventure on a ghost ship?" Nami waited for a response, but none came. The rest of the crew was silent, watching Luffy intently.

Finally he whispered, "Don't you feel it?"

"Feel what?" Nami yelled exasperatedly. Then she decided, "Well, if you don't have a reason, then I'll be getting my treasure now"

She went to walk away, only to find her arm held in Luffy's vice grip. It was the first time he'd used his strength against her. It felt wrong to both of them, and the rest of the crew stared. Sanji stepped forward, kicking his shoes against the woodwork, ready to defend Nami-swan at any cost. Zoro put a hand on a sword hilt, ready to do the same for his captain.

The captain of the Strawhat Pirates considered his navigator momentarily, before he slumped his shoulders. "you're not gonna give up on this are you?"

Sensing a win, Nami, and the rest of the crew relaxed. Luffy was acting really weird about that ship. Maybe he was sick? Chopper was itching to take his temperature. He had already noticed that Luffy was sweating and breathing hard, though he tried to hide the fact. First chance he got, Chopper would give Luffy a checkup.

Luffy lowered his head after seeing the sheer determination in Nami's eyes. He relented, "Okay. I'll go look."

Nami smiled triumphantly, "Yosh. Okay, I'll go get my torch!"

"No. Only me." Luffy said defiantly, "This is a captain's order! No one, no matter what happens, _no one_, is getting on that ship. Got it?"

Silence followed the order, everyone staring at Luffy in concern. Something was definitely wrong with him. No one had ever seen him so serious outside of a fight, not even when Usopp had temporarily left the crew. He looked hard at Zoro, "Make sure of it, o.k. Zoro? No one."

Zoro nodded once, and slid from his position to stand in front of the rest of the crew. Luffy nodded, satisfied and immensely relieved, before taking a running leap off the Thousand Sunny and landing on the neighbouring ship's deck. He didn't look back as he clenched his fists and walked slowly toward the ship's cabin.

Once Luffy was out of sight, the babbling broke out.

"What was that about?"

"Yeah, didn't Luffy seem off to you?"

"He looked outright terrified."

"Nami, are you okay? Did Luffy bruise your arm? I'll kill that shitty brat!"

"Shut up Sanji. He seemed kind of… ill. Zoro, what d'you think?" Nami looked to the green-haired first-mate for an answer.

"Ill? Off? No. Terrified? Definitely. But he seemed completely fine once we promised we wouldn't follow him."

"Why would he be scared of us going on a ship?" Chopper asked.

"well, I'm pretty terrified of that ghost ship" Usopp interrupted.

"baka" Zoro said, "he asked whether we could feel it. His instincts were telling him something dangerous was waiting for us on that ship and you" turning to Nami accusingly, "were too greedy to notice."

"What's the matter?" Nami said defensively, "Luffy's a monster. He'll be fine"

"Don't you get it?" Zoro exclaimed loudly, "Luffy didn't _want _to go on that ship, because his instincts warned him of the danger! When has Luffy ever run from the idea of danger?"

He let that sink in a moment, before continuing, "So what could be so bad that it has even Luffy trembling?"

Robin looked up, "You noticed too? I thought I might've been mistaken but—"

"Yeah, I saw it too" Sanji said quietly, "Luffy was shaking."

Luffy's eyes roamed everywhere as he searched below deck for Nami's precious gold. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest, making it much harder for him to hear anything beyond its loud beat. He took one step, waited a beat, then another. Everything in his body screamed for him to get out, but he knew if he returned without even looking, Nami would never let him see the light of day again.

"Just get the treasure and get out. Just get it and get out." Luffy thought, "Just get it and get out... Just get out"

It wasn't that he was scared for himself. But he knew, instinctively, that being here would endanger his nakama to no end. Something was so terribly wrong about this place, and as he turned the corner into the infirmary, he saw why.

Every bed in the infirmary was full. Some were no more than corpses, and the rest were so near death they may as well have been. That was it, Luffy thought. That was what was so wrong with this place. It reeked of death. Death permeated the entire ship, contaminated the air around it; smothering everything. Luffy began thinking that even now, death was trying to infect him, pull him down to the state of the lifeless bodies of the marines around him.

He forced himself onward, flashes of Ace's death sending knives through his heart. He had got over this hadn't he? He had moved on. But death clung to him, making him remember the pain long past. He shivered. Just find some treasure. Something to satisfy her.

Luffy stiffened. There was no mistaking it. A sound. A whisper. It was emanating from one of the medical cupboards at the back of the room. Luffy listened harder, suddenly realising that what he was hearing was prayer. Luffy's eyes widened.

"Why is a door praying? Gah!" he screamed comically as the praying came to an abrupt stop, and a marine sprung from the cupboard, gun in hand. The man cocked it at the intruder before him. Luffy studied his bedraggled form, from his dishevelled hair to his unkempt beard, and torn clothing. The marine in turn studied Luffy, noting his lack of uniform… and lack of weapons. He lowered his own.

"Civilian then. Tell me, civilian. Have we finally run aground?"

Luffy cocked his head to one side and frowned, "No. Who are you?"

The marine's chest swelled considerably, "I am Marine captain Taragi Muchi, currently posted on this fine vessel, and under strict order's from the higher ups of Marie Jois to carry out this top secret mission with precision and care." Taragi nodded in a self-congratulatory kind of way, then narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin haughtily as he continued, "And who pray, might a worthless being such as you be? I bet you're not even a citizen of the Government nations, are you?"

Luffy started rifling through the desks lined up at the back of the room, only half-listening to the idiot behind him, "Nah, I'm from Foosha village, in the East Blue. My names Monkey D. Luffy."

The marine captain from Marie Jois felt his jaw drop, then quickly closed it. Cautiously he said, "_the _ Money D. Luffy, with a 400 million beli bounty on his head? The _pirate_ captain?"

"Yep. Hey, do you have any treasure on board?" he turned around hopefully, only to find himself once again face-to-face with the man's gun. Luffy blinked, and repeated his question. The marine captain straightened himself, and said with open hostility.

"Of course we do. It's downstairs, in the treasure store behind the bookshelf in my personal quarters. But you will never live to see it pirate scum!" he fired the gun until it was empty. Breathing hard, his jaw dropped again as the boy captain before him took every bullet without a single change in his stance. Then it dropped further as he noticed the young pirates body stretch to unbelievable lengths, and then retract, rebounding the bullets back toward their owner, who screamed for mercy whilst his legs crumbled beneath him… much like his resolve.

Luffy stood over him, "I can't be shot _baka_." He continued wandering around the room, examining different oddments here and there, whilst talking casually to the cowering man.

"So why is this ship so beat-up? And what's your secret mission?" Luffy asked curiously.

Captain Taragi grinned, "The ship is beat up because we want people to think that this is a ghost ship. That way only strong and brave pirates will enter in search for treasure!"

"You want pirates to come on your ship?" Luffy asked warily, "why?"

If possible, the creepy little marine captain's face split into an even larger grin, "why, how else are we supposed to wipe you all off the face of the earth?"

.oOo.

"It's been a full hour" Nami said, torn between worrying about Luffy and the potential gold on the ship.

Usopp balked, "What if he was eaten by the boogy man? AAARGH!"

Chopper was tearing up, "Luffy, com back!"

Franky had come up from below deck just after Luffy had left, and been filled in on everything that happened. Now he was muttering something about being "So unsuper"

Robin sat quietly, no longer in the mood to read.

Sanji stood up, "That's it. I can't wait anymore for the idiot. I'm going in after him."

Zoro straightened and unsheathed his swords, "No. You're not"

The cook narrowed his eyes, "You want to turn this into a fight?"

Zoro smiled, liking the idea, "If I have to"

Sanji yelled, unable to hold it in any longer, "He could be dead! Why are you stopping me?"

"It was his last order"

"What?" Sanji said, taken aback by the change of tone in the other man's voice.

"If he were dead- which he is NOT- then his final Captain's order was for us to never step foot on that ship." He looked Sanji in the eye, "aren't you going to honour that? Because if not, I'll cut you down now"

Silence. The cook and the swordsman stared at one another for a long moment, before their attention was drawn to the two rubber hands that had just grabbed onto the railing of the Thousand Sunny. Every member of the crew sighed in relief as their captain landed on deck, a bag of gold on his back, and three books in the other. He walked over to Nami, placing the bag at her feet. Her eyes lit up, and she dived toward it screaming, "Thankyou Luffy! Oh, gold, gold, gold, gold. GOLD!"

Luffy smiled softly at Nami's antics, and walked up to Robin, thrusting the books into her hands, "They're the crew's logbooks. Have a read."

Robin hid her surprise, 'T-Thankyou Captain"

Luffy shouted over his shoulder, already walking below deck. "Oi, Franky! Get some rope or something"

Franky looked up, surprised, "What for Captain?"

"We need it for the… ghost ship." Luffy replied, tiredly. Everyone looked at him curiously. "We're towing it back to Marie Jois."

There was silence once more, before the air erupted in questions. But Luffy didn't hear them. He was swaying where he stood, then fell against the doorframe. Everyone rushed forward, but he backed up just as quickly, albeit stumbling, as if afraid they might touch him.

"I'm fine." He panted, clearly _not fine_, "Just head to Marie Jois, okay? I'll be in my quarters"

Chopper stepped forward, a hard look in his eye, "No. You're going to the infirmary. I can tell just by looking at you that you have a high fever. Now let me treat you"

Chopper walked forward, determined to drag his Captain away if he had to. He reached out a hand- not hoof, as he had changed into strong point form- to grab Luffy's arm. But Luffy ducked out of the way and back peddled some more, raising his hands in front of him defensively.

"Don't… Don't touch me." He let his arms fall, balling his fists at his sides. Chopper looked stricken at the sudden rejection from his captain. Luffy looked away, steeling himself, "I'm sorry, but… if you touch me, I will kill you"

With that he opened the door to his right, the captain's quarters, and slammed the door behind him. The resounding click of the lock could be heard throughout the ship.


	3. Touch

Though not knowing the reasons for his captain's strange behaviour, Franky nonetheless trusted Luffy unswervingly. Which was why he, at this moment, was not discussing the strange events of that morning with the rest of the crew, no. He, cyborg Franky, would follow the Captain's orders to the letter, and tie this damned rope to that damned ghost ship- or whatever it was- to the best of his ability. If only he knew how to do it properly without touching said ship.

He missed out on quite a bit that day.

.oOo.

Whilst Franky was struggling to tie a tow-rope to the battered marine ship behind them, the rest of the crew was, indeed, discussing the events of that morning. If you could call it a discussion.

"What d'you mean don't go in there? The man's having some sort of breakdown, and you expect us to just leave him be? He needs help!" Usopp was the voice of- albeit misinformed- reason.

"Usopp, you dumbass, haven't you known Luffy long enough yet? He wouldn't do shit like this unless there was a damn good reason! So shut up about it!"

"WAAAHHHH! I knew it! Luffy still thinks I'm a monster!"

"I thought you no longer cared about that, Doctor-san?" Robin asked, quietly amused.

Chopper didn't seem to hear her, "He wouldn't even come near me! WAAAH! This is just like back on Drum Island!"

"Ah, Usopp. I'm gonna have to agree with the marimo on this one"

"Shut up, shitty cook. You have no say—wait. Did you just agree with me?" Zoro became dumbfounded

"What d'you mean I have no say?" Sanji asked darkly, kicking his shoes against the deck, readying himself for a fight.

"Can't we all just sit down and listen to what each other has to say calmly?" Brooke asked magnanimously, before continuing, "although I have no ears to listen. YOHOHOHOHO!"

"WAAAHHH! He wouldn't even—"

"SHUT UP!" everyone turned on Chopper. He blinked, then ran from the room, bawling.

Everyone sighed, feeling the tension dissipate, leaving them all exhausted. Nobody knew what was wrong, but they all felt how serious it was. Robin decided that now might be the time for her to voice her suspicions, now that the majority of them were here and she could be heard.

"Captain-san may have caught something on that ship" She said calmly.

No one said anything as they waited for her to continue. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chopper standing in the doorway, a vain attempt to hide his presence while he listened. She smiled slightly.

"It would explain why he refused to let anyone touch him. He wouldn't have caught a normal kind of virus in the short span of time he had been on that ship. Chopper said it himself: Captain had a high fever."

"Ah, and he seemed completely fine physically when he came down from the crow's nest." Usopp frowned in thought.

"So he's afraid we might catch what he has?" Chopper sniffed and came to stand with the rest of the crew.

"But how would that idiot know he was sick? Or that we could catch it off him?" Sanji asked. "He only wears sandals because he can't tie his own shoe laces"

"Someone may have told him" Zoro reasoned.

"Who baka?" Sanji retorted, "That's a ghost ship back there."

"None of us have confirmed that." Robin said, "The only one who has been on that ship is Luffy. And he never said anything about it being uninhabited. He may have caught whatever he has from someone on that ship"

Chopper, Usopp and Brooke's eyes widened and they began screaming, "eeehhh, ghosts have possessed Luffy? AAARRRGGHH"

Nami stood up and quietly, but efficiently, beat the idiot trio over their heads. This was getting stupid. It had been such a lovely day, filled with mounds of gold, before Luffy had to go and get himself diseased, and then get all emo on them all. He was making everyone scared and stressed and worried; and the tension in the air was giving her a headache. But, most importantly, he was making her mad. The selfish bastard was trying to protect them all again. By ignoring them and abandoning them without any explanation. She spoke through clenched teeth as she stalked toward the Captain's quarter's.

"Well, we're not getting much answers just sitting here. I may as well just ask the idiot what's wrong."

However, on the way, she made one tiny pit stop.

'Let's see if he can ignore me now', Nami thought vindictively.

.oOo.

She walked to the Captain's quarters, fuming. What right had he to upset everyone? None. And now _he _was the one moping by himself in a room he had never used before. Franky had built it specifically for Luffy, because he reasoned, a captain should be able to have his own cabin. But everyone, Luffy included, had argued at that. Luffy preferred sleeping with his crew, needy bastard that he was. Sanji had asked for it to be changed into a spare storage space for food- because it had a lock. But Franky had refused, saying that each room had its own purpose and he would be damned if he let anyone use it for anything different- like the time Luffy had flooded the bathroom because he wanted to have an aquarium on the ship. Didn't he realise they were surrounded by water? Idiot.

She banged on the door, yelling, "Open up jerk! I've got some questions for you."

No response.

"Fine then" She muttered, pulling a pin out of her hair, "we'll do this the hard way…"

Ten seconds later it was open, and Nami stood framed in the doorway, staring at her sleeping captain. He lay in his usual position, leaning his back against a bookshelf whilst his hat covered his eyes. But he seemed to be having difficulty breathing. His breath was ragged, and his chest heaved, like his body wasn't getting nearly as much oxygen as it needed.

Nami neared her slumbering captain, noticing that his shirt had been discarded next to him and he was covered in sweat. She bent down to get a look at his face under his hat, and saw the flushed crimson that spread from neck to his cheeks. Satisfied that what Robin had deduced was true, she smashed a fist down over the top of his head, "WAKE UP JERK!"

His hat fell off his head and rolled to the other side of the room as Luffy was…'startled' awake. After seeing her proximity to him, he moved. He tried to get up, to get away from this closeness to Nami, terrified that she might've touched him already, contracted _it. _But his body wouldn't listen to him. He managed to stand, and then wobble a bit, before falling flat on his arse.

Nami glided over to stand in front of him, before kneeling down and, very carefully crawling on top of him. She did it with the talent of someone who had spent years- eight, to be exact- being stealthy, balanced and silent all at once. She placed her hands on either side of him, while he leaned back on his elbbows, in a desperate attempt to wriggle out from under her. She leaned forward, dangerously close to his face. Luffy froze. She hadn't touched him once, but was so close that, if _Luffy_ tried moving, contact would be inevitable.

Even dumbass Luffy knew there was no way out of this. He wouldn't even be able to push her away by only touching her clothes.

She was wearing a bikini.

She smiled sweetly at him as his eyes widened in panic, "Nami, what're you—"

"Shut up" she said, still smiling sweetly; but now she had a dangerous glint in her eyes. Luffy gulped. Nami's smile fell as she started talking.

"We all know you're sick Luffy. Stop trying to protect us from it by hiding and not talking. Stop being a selfish jerk!" She relented as she saw his eyes tighten. She had hurt his feelings. Nami leant back and took a breath, "we know you care, Luffy. But we care too. You've got everyone worried. Tell us what happened on that ship"

Luffy tensed, his fists clenching at his sides, and looked away. "I know you care, Nami" he sighed, "But that's why I can't tell you"

Nami growled in frustration. Then, slowly, determinedly, reached her hand up, placing it millimetres from his flushed cheek. His eyes widened as he stared at her fingers, which wriggled slightly in the air, teasing. He looked back at her and she locked her eyes with his. Nami articulated her next sentence slowly and carefully, letting each word register and have the fullest impact on his dull brain.

"Luffy… if you _don't _tell me… what happened on that ship, I WILL touch you" she wriggled her fingers again for emphasis.

He was breathing harder now, and sweating profusely; panicking. Nami smiled triumphantly, knowing he could struggle with himself for hours, but he would always choose to tell her something horrible over actually hurting her. But then her brow furrowed in confusion and concern when he didn't seem to be calming down.

He stared at her, pleading, "Nami… get off. NOW"

His whole body was shaking, and he was gasping for air. Oh gods, the boy was hyperventilating. Nami had never even thought it possible for him. Then suddenly she realised just how dangerous it was to be sitting on him when he couldn't control himself like this. She began extricating herself from him, thankful that even in his panicked state he was trying his hardest to remain still.

She was almost free when some intelligent fucker decided to pound down the door and come running in, followed by the rest of the crew- minus Franky- and scream, "what are you doing to my Nami-swan Luffy? What's with all this heavy breathi-" before his cigarette dropped from his mouth and he stared at the scene in front of him. Nami froze. If it hadn't had been for that shitty, love-struck cook, Nami would made it in time.

Because at that moment, Luffy couldn't hold it in anymore, and turned on all fours, vomiting on the oaken floors. He was completely oblivious as he retched and convulsed, but everyone else was not. They all stared at Nami's leg, pinned under the leg of her captain.


	4. Nurse

Yo. My first story people! remember that. i'm also thinking of writing a crossover that involve naruto getting his ass kicked by either Ichigo or Luffy :P. anyways enjoy.

no, no. i don't own one piece *sigh*. this is just a fan-based fic. but i will find a way to make it my own! so watch out! i'll get my hands on it... somehow... XD

.oOo.

Luffy's retching ceased. Slowly, he sat up and dragged the back of his hand across his mouth. Sanji, who had the forethought to run out to the kitchen, returned, carrying a bottle of water in his hands. He threw it at his captain, who caught it and mumbled his appreciation.

"Arigatou, Sanji", after a swig of water, Luffy looked at Nami curiously, "Oi, Nami, how come you're all quiet all of a sudden?"

Nami shot him a murderous glance and stood up. Towering over him, she screamed, "You _touched_ me, you complete _baka!_" she started pacing furiously, muttering, "I try to help, and what do I get? Some stupid disease!" she turned to Luffy again, "If I die, it's your fault!"

Though his expression hadn't changed from that of mild shock, the crew could tell her words had cut deep on their captain. He looked almost broken as he whispered, "my fault?"

Usopp tried to salvage the situation, "Oi, Nami… that's a bit extreme, don't you think? I mean, it's not Luffy's fault he's sick."

She whirled on him, "Shut up! You don't know anything you- you…" she struggled to finish her sentence as her breathing suddenly became heavier, and her cheeks flushed a sudden, deep red. Her legs crumbled beneath her as she fainted.

Luffy was there before the rest of them, catching her in his arms before she hit the floor. Gently, he leant her head against his shoulder and lifted her up into his arms. He gave a quiet order to his crew, "Move. Make sure you don't touch either of us."

Sanji became nervous, itching to run to Nami's aid, "where are you going?"

Luffy levelled his eye on Chopper, looking for all the world like he had just lost his brother all over again, "I'm taking her to the infirmary"

They all made way, and stared at the retreating form of their captain. It was an expression none of them had ever seen on his face before. And for a moment, just a fleeting moment, each of their heart's stopped. Something had just gone terribly wrong. They could all feel it.

On deck Franky stopped cursing at the rope for a moment, and shivered.

.oOo.

"Luffy, I have to treat you both! Open the door"

"No."

"At least let me give you guys a check-up! I might be able to find out what's wrong and how to treat it from that"

"No."

Chopper stamped his foot. Luffy could hear the tears in his voice, "You have to let me do something to help! Please?"

Luffy sighed, "Fine. Tell me what to do."

"W-what?" Chopper asked, convinced he hadn't heard right.

Luffy was dead serious, "I'm not letting anyone else in here. So you tell me how to check out Nami, and I'll do it."

Zoro grinned at Luffy's slip-up from the other side of the door. He had taken it upon himself to be the guard of the infirmary. If his captain said to go to Marie Jois, then to Marie Jois they will go, and he'd be damned if he was going to let any more crew members slack off on chores just because they were dumb enough to contract this plague-thing. So here he was, guarding the door. He looked at Chopper, sensing his defeat.

"B-but, Luffy, you know, I'm not being mean or anything, but… um… you're not really good at listening to things that aren't about meat or adventure, so…"

Luffy, finally showing some of his true character, answered in a tone that suggested Chopper was slightly delirious, "what're you talkin' about? It's Nami."

Chopper sighed, shoulder's slumping, "Alright. But on one condition."

Zoro could hear the wary tone in Luffy's voice, "What? You're not coming in"

"I know!... but after you do this, you have to tell us what happened on that ship. Or else Zoro and Sanji will kick in this door."

Zoro frowned. He wasn't about to do that, and he'd kill himself before he let that shitty cook get away with it. But he and the rest of the crew _did_ need to know what had happened, and what they were getting themselves into. So if the bluff worked…

"Fine" Luffy submitted after a long silence, so long that Sanji stopped as he walked past, wanting to know what they were listening for. "Now tell me how to check her out"

For what seemed to be the hundredth time that day, Sanji's cigarette dropped from his mouth, "WHAA-?"

"Just keep walking pervy cook, it's not what you think." Zoro said with a grin.

"What did you say marimo?" as they continued fighting down the hallway, Chopper began giving Luffy instructions.

"Okay, do you have the light?", Chopper asked.

"Yeah"

"Okay, shine the light into each of her eyes"

There was a moment of silence. Then, "but… her eyes are closed."

Chopper replied patiently, "that's okay. Just open one with you finger, shine the light in, and tell me how her pupil reacts. Then do the same to the other one"

Another moment of silence. Chopper waited a bit, then, "okay, how did they react?"

"…"

"Luffy?"

"…what's a pupil?"

Chopper slapped his forehead and sighed. This was going to be a long, long day.

"It's the little dark circle in her eye."

"Oh… it got smaller. For both of them."

"Good. Now check her pulse. There should be a stethoscope on the table beside you."

"…"

"It's the trumpet thing you and Usopp used to eaves drop on Nami last Christmas."

"Ah, I got it."

"Okay, now stick the round end on her chest, and then count every beat you hear until I say stop" he checked the watch on his wrist, as Sanji fell into another bout of 'I-should-be-doing-that-to-Nami-swan'.

"Ready?" Chopper asked, suddenly worried how high Luffy could actually count up to.

"Yep."

"Go." Chopper waited a full minute before he told Luffy to stop. "Okay, what was it?"

"93" Luffy said, and heard Chopper's sharp intake of breath, "Is that bad?" he asked worriedly.

Chopper chose not to answer, "Luffy, she probably has a high fever. Is she flushed?'

"… flushed? Like, in the toilet flushed?"

Zoro was amazed at Chopper's patience. It must have been killing him not to inspect them himself, or to shout at Luffy for his idiocy.

"No Luffy, is she red in the face?"

"Oh, yeah. That's bad too isn't it?" Luffy asked.

"Y-yeah." Not wanting to lie, "just keep her warm, but cool her face with a wet towel. That should slow down her deterioration. Now Luffy, I want you to check your own pulse. Do the same thing you did to Nami."

"Okay" after another minute, Luffy answered, finally not having to be told, "204"

"WHAAAT?"

"204"

Chopper took a breath and said, very calmly, "Luffy, are you standing up?"

"Yeah."

"HOW CAN YOU STILL BE STANDING?"

"Huh?"

"How are you still even conscious with that kind of heart rate?"

"Hmmm… I dunno. I'm steaming, like I'm in gear second, but I don't remember doing it…"

Robin, who had seen the small congregation outside the infirmary as she walked to her cabin, had stopped and listened. She looked at Chopper, "Doctor-san, do you mind if I voice my suspicions?"

Chopper looked questioningly at her. She smiled, "Well, he's the only one that can only go into his 'gear second' state because he's made of rubber, so his body can stand the pressure, yes? So maybe Captain-san is still standing because of this as well?" her smile grew wider, "or maybe it's just his will to care for Nami that keeps him awake?"

Luffy had been listening to Robin's hypothesis, and considered it for a moment, "Robin's first thought sounded really complicated. And this feels different from second gear anyhow…. Hmmm… I think the other one's right!" he declared, slamming his fist against his open palm.

Once again, Sanji's cigarette fell to the floor as his eyes widened in shock, "he didn't just say what I think he did, did he? I mean the boy's practically asexual!"

Zoro looked at him and grinned devilishly, but said nothing. Sanji sank to the floor as waves of depression washed over him.

Chopper ignored them both, deciding that now was the time they needed answers before Nami reached Luffy's state. Call it will, or blame the devil fruit, either way, Nami wasn't going to stand a 204 heart-rate.

"Now it's your turn Luffy. Tell us what happened on that ship"

On the other side of the door, Luffy was, surprisingly, deep in thought. Slowly he walked over and sat, with his back leaning against the door. A ragged cough escaped his throat, despite his efforts to supress it. After his fit ceased, he started talking, and, despite the gasps and the volley of questions that came from the other side of the door, he didn't stop until he was finished.


	5. Confessions

.oOo.

"_Huh? Wipe pirates out? What are you talking about?" Luffy finally turned to face the rival captain. _

"_Mmm-hmmm. Precisely" the marine cackled, "hehehe… what am I talking about? Only the destruction of scum like you and the end of the Great Pirate Er—uurrgh!" for some reason, the man found himself with Luffy's fist in his mouth. He sputtered and backed away._

"_w-what was that for?"_

_Luffy cracked his knuckles, "I dunno. I just felt like it." He walked slowly up to the other man, and grabbed the font of his shirt, hauling him to his feet. Putting his face close to the other's, Luffy stared hard at the man, "I don't care about any of that. Just tell me where the treasure is"_

_This close to the infamous pirate, the marine captain could see the film of sweat covering the boy's face. He frowned, trying to recall whether the boy had touched any of the virulent passengers on board. However, before he could utter a word, the man was carried off by the boy, who was dragging him by the collar. _

"_Man, this place is so confusing! Too many doors and no arrows" Luffy pouted as he ran, "Franky put arrows on the Thousand Sunny when we first came aboard. "_

_Suddenly Luffy stopped and let the man fall in a nauseous heap. He looked down at the man in confusion, wondering why he looked green. _

"_Oi, what's wrong with you?" he asked. When he didn't reply, Luffy thwacked him over the head with his fist, under the impression that this might wake him from the semi-conscious state he seemed to be in. It worked._

"_IT'S YOUR FAULT I'M LIKE THIS!" screamed the man, suddenly over his bout of queasiness. Luffy blinked stupidly._

"_huh?" he articulated, then shrugged his shoulders indifferently. This man was weird. He looked down the hall they were in, left, then right. He looked back at the marine captain, who seemed to be steaming in rage. He blinked again, "hey, so where did you say that treasure was?"_

_The man didn't seem inclined to answer. Once again, Luffy shrugged and went off on his own, down the corridor to his right. That was where his captain's quarters were on the Sunny, and the man had said that's where the treasure was, he reasoned (though thinking so hard had made him feel sick and his head had begun to hurt). _

_Luffy strolled down the hall, looking in each room expectantly as he passed. No go. He had passed the kitchen a while back and was extremely disappointed in the lack of meat. His stomach growled and he whimpered as he turned the corner. This place was like a maze. He groaned loudly, thinking how much Nami was going to scream for taking so long. And just as he shuddered at the thought, he walked right into a wooden door, for once solid and __not __hanging off of broken hinges. He took a step back, looking at the label that read "Captain", with an arrow pointing toward the closed door._

"_Finally! Arrows!" he whooped, and opened the door…_

_.oOo._

_From within the darkness that seemed to seep into the hallway from inside the captain's cabin, a faint moan resounded. A soft grunt and the sounds of metal against metal followed. Then, with the sound of sandalled footfall, the boy- no, the notorious pirate captain-appeared from the darkness of the doorway. He carried a large, cream coloured hessian sack on his back, no doubt filled with the ship's commission. The other captain watched as the nineteen year old suddenly stumbled forward, catching himself on the wall. His considerable strength failed him, and he slid to the floor, clutching his chest and panting heavily. With a look of mild surprise on his features, he stared first at the man standing over him- the one who had lead him here- then at something from within the room he had just left. He pushed a question from his suddenly parched lips._

"_Who- what… was _that?", _he panted. Luffy continued to stare at the doorway through messy raven hair as the other captain answered._

"_Carl, or what's left of him" the man said tiredly. Suddenly, despite all the prejudices he had grown up with, despite their existence as enemies, the marine captain suddenly felt that this notorious pirate- no, this _boy_, deserve to know the truth._ _He slumped down next to Luffy, and took a deep breath._

_Luffy noticed the sudden change in the other man's demeanour and eyed him warily, "carl?"_

_Taragi nodded, "my navigator" he said, noticing the subtle change in the boy's expression as he said this; something unreadable._

"_What's wrong with him?"_

"_An incurable malady" he replied. The phrase seemed to have too many syllables in it for Monkey D. Luffy, and Taragi sighed, "Sickness. Virus. The plague" the last one finally seemed to click into place within Luffy's eyes. "It spreads through contact with the skin. You feel the effects within a minute after contact, and pass out soon after. It's incurable. Depending on your will to live depends on how long you last, but in the end they all die. The longest one to have lived with so far survived four months"_

_Luffy wasn't interested in what it was; only what it did, "Will it hurt my nakama?"_

_The question made Taragi pause. It was a question he had never expected a pirate to utter; he had no idea pirates even had the capability to feel concern for someone else, "Nakama?"_

"_Yeah, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Zoro-"_

"_The _pirate hunter_ Roronoa Zoro?" Taragi exclaimed. For the life of him, Taragi had never suspected a pirate captain to show any signs of concern toward his crew. When the boy had said 'nakama', he had been under the impression Luffy was referring to-_

"_What about your family? Aren't you worried about them?"_

"_Huh? Family? But that's what I'm talking about!" Luffy proclaimed vehemently._

_Taragi sat, staring at the young man before him, utterly stumped. The boy was a pirate, wasn't he? Moreover, he was a pirate who had, unprovoked, attacked a Noble! The only one to have broken _into_ the impenetrable prison, Impel Down, and released all the prisoners, then proceeded to bring the pirate era to a new age with his splash in the war at Marine HQ. The man had no conscience! And yet…_

"… _so long as they do not touch your skin", he found himself guiltlessly abandoning his mission, "__At all.__ One touch and they become infected." He paused, and said quietly, "However… it's inevitable that you __**will**__ die from this"_

_Luffy nodded, immense relief flooding his features, despite the fate that had just been handed to him, "What IS this? How did your crew…?"_

_Taragi took a breath. For the first time in his privileged life, he felt that maybe what the World Government had planned was not- not… right. It was wrong; so wrong. Taragi sighed, suddenly nostalgic, as the memories of when he was too young to see the differences in people washed over him. But then he had learned of the blood that separated people; defined them as great, or sealed their fate as slaves, dirt to be trodden on. And now, within a mere half-hour, said dirt had, ironically, cleared his vision…_

"_Marie Jois.'' Taragi said in earnest, "The Nobles decreed that pirates were to be utterly abolished. They had their best scientists and biological engineers create a fast-acting virus. They infected this ship with it, knowing that when pirates boarded this wreck in search for gold, they would become unknowingly infected, and then infect the rest of their crew… with the amount of skirmishes between pirate ships on these seas, it's almost inevitable that they'd end up wiping out each other."_

_Taragi looked down at the exhausted pirate, who seemed to be struggling with so many words. He really was just a boy…_

"_What happens if they run aground and infect villagers?" Luffy asked quietly, surprisingly perceptive in that moment. Taragi was caught off-guard. He considered it a moment._

"_If they are citizens of any of the nations that are a part of the World Government, then they will have been given the vaccine" he saw the young man's blank face, "the cure. It will stop them being infected."_

_Taragi suddenly felt colder as the boy's eyes hardened and he asked, in an even softer, yet somehow more dangerous tone than before, "and, if they're… not?"_

_For some reason Taragi found it impossible to meet the boy's dark irises. Instead, his eyes found his feet and he replied in a deadpan tone, "They won't be given the cure. The Nobles stated that anyone not part of the World Government is an enemy… they also said that any survivors were to serve them as-"_

"_Slaves." Luffy cut off flatly (his sudden perceptiveness was really rather disconcerting to Luffy but he had other things to worry about). Taragi quailed at the rage-filled eyes that fell on him. With effort, and a sheen of sweat adorning his features, Luffy pulled himself to his feet. Taragi considered him warily, "what are you planning on doing?"_

"_You said… Marie Jois… cure" the boy could hardly speak, but there was a hard glint in his eye, and he managed to stand straighter. Taragi's eyes widened._

"_You can't possibly be serious? No one in their right mind would—" Taragi abruptly stopped what he was about to say, suddenly remembering what this boy had accomplished to land himself as the number one most wanted on the seas. Luffy looked determinedly at him._

"_I told you, I'm from East Blue. My village isn't a part of any Government nation. Neither are any of my nakama's. there's no way I'm letting those bastards hurt them"_

_Taragi stared wide eyed as the boy marched- or stumbled- out the door, carrying a massive amount of gold on his back like it was no biggie. In the space of under an hour, Taragi's entire world had begun to change._

__

**Ultra lame, I know. Don't worry, the next one's got some humour in it. **

**But unless I get at least 5 reviews, it's not seeing the light of day. See? I can be an unsocial, cruel bitch when I want to be too. Just like all the people that read this and don't review.**

**I thank those that already have though—a whole two! I'm grateful.**

**But I'm not going any further until I KNOW **_**exactly**_** how awesome this story is. I think 5 reviews could cover that; it's not much to ask, now, is it?**


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